Tag: books

The complete spicy hot CLUB series. Six sexy novels in one big box set!

THE CLUB SERIES includes:

BLACK DOG NIGHTS

Would you agree to be someone’s mistress if he promised to pay your student loans?

SAPPHIRE BEAUTIFUL

She’s a professor at a prestigious university, and he’s one of her department’s new graduate students.

MAD DOG DAYS

She wants to be with her roommate, the guy who she has been in love with forever, but he’s still in love with her best friend.

GOLD DUST WOMAN

What happens when a world-renowned artist starts to have feelings for the man she’s paying to be with?

YELLOW DOG BLUES

Washed up rock star, Maverick, is no prince and he has some work to do on his charming.

GREY CLOUDY LIES

What’s a girl supposed to do when she gets pregnant and the father of the child doesn’t want anything to do with the baby? How about seducing the nerdy next-door neighbor and making him believe the baby is his?

About the Author

KAREN M. BRYSON writes new adult, love in midlife, and romantic suspense with a little spice and lots of heart. She is a winner of the prestigious RONE Award for Excellence in the Indie and Small Publishing Industry.

Karen is also an award-winning/optioned screenwriter.

When she’s not at her computer creating new stories, Karen enjoys spending time with her husband and their bloodhounds.

Yellow Dog Blues Excerpt

One

I have no idea what I’m doing here. Am I really contemplating selling my body for money?

I consider turning around and trying to figure something else out, but I’ve exhausted nearly every option I can imagine.

My next door neighbor, Cali, referred me to The Club when she found me locked out of my apartment with an eviction notice plastered across my door.

Chad, my boyfriend of six years, decided to join the Peace Corps without telling me. He finally admitted he was leaving when I found him packing for his flight to Africa. He left me with an apartment I had no way to pay for and several months of utility bills that were past due.

Despite all of my best efforts to secure gainful employment I haven’t been able to find a job. Not even a nibble. Not even after a nationwide search.

I guess earning a Master’s degree in Creative Writing was much less marketable than I ever imagined it would be.

Out of complete and utter desperation I dialed the number on the black business card Cali gave me. The gruff woman who answered the phone asked me only two questions: how old I was and if I was a blonde. Then she told me to meet her at three pm, quickly spat out the address and hung up on me.

So here I am at five minutes to three, my heart practically pounding out of my chest, trying to convince myself to go inside.

You have no job and nowhere to live, I remind myself. Not to mention a six figure student loan that’s about to come due in a few months. How I’ll ever be able to afford those monthly payments is something I can’t even contemplate at the moment.

I take in a deep breath and force myself to go inside.

As nondescript as the exterior of the building is, the interior is in sharp contrast. It’s rich looking with dark wood everywhere. The décor reminds me one of those men’s clubs from the movies. One of those places that only admits rich old men and exudes an atmosphere of excessive wealth and old money.

The Club probably caters to the same demographic.

There’s a young woman standing behind a large mahogany desk. I expect her to give me some type of greeting, but she just stares at me with her big doe eyes.

As I get closer I realize just how tall she is. She towers over all five foot four of me. It would surprise me if she wasn’t some kind of model. She’s rail thin and has that emaciated look about her.

“I have an appointment with Claudia.”

I’m surprised that she doesn’t check an appointment book, or even an electronic calendar, until I realize there is absolutely nothing to check. The desk is completely bare.

“Follow me,” she says.

She doesn’t give me any time to reply. She takes off down a long hallway at a pace so brisk I practically have to run to keep up with her.

When we get to the door at the end of the hallway she turns to me and says, “Go inside. Claudia is waiting for you.”

Before I have a chance to reply she takes off back down the hallway leaving me alone with the drumbeat of my pounding heart.

It takes several impossibly long moments for me to gather enough courage to open the door to Claudia’s office.

I bite my bottom lip to keep myself from gasping when I enter the large space. Everything in the room is completely white. Even Claudia herself is dressed in an all-white outfit. The decor is in sharp contrast to the heavy and dark reception area.

She looks me up and down before she instructs me to take a seat.

Claudia’s voice is husky, like someone who has smoked cigarettes for twenty years. She looks like an older version of her receptionist. She’s rail thin, and could have probably been a model a few decades ago.

I sit down in the only seat in the room that isn’t occupied. It’s on the other side of Claudia’s desk directly in front of her.

“I have a unique situation with a new client,” she tells me. “Normally we require clients to pay for at least six months in advance. This client insists on paying on a month-to-month basis. I like my girls to have a little more job security, at least six months per contract, but he’s willing to pay extra. You’re a cute blonde with a hot little body. I’ll have no problem making another more stable arrangement if things don’t work out with this client.”

She definitely gets right to the point.

I already feel dizzy with emotion. The only guy I’ve ever been with is my ex-boyfriend. We met our freshman year of college and were together for six years. Now Claudia is talking about the possibility of selling me to not one, but two different men. I’ve barely wrapped my head around the idea of being paid to be with one guy.

“He’s willing to fly you home immediately if things don’t work out.”

“Fly home?” I mutter.

“The client is located in Hawaii. You’ll have to sign a non-disclosure agreement before we can go any further with the negotiations because you will recognize his name.”

“Okay…” I gulp. My head is spinning. I’ve never been outside of the Midwest.

She pushes a piece of paper in front of me along with a pen. I quickly glance over the document and wonder if I should actually take the time to read it. When I look up at Claudia her scowl says don’t waste any time. So I grab the pen and scribble my name on the bottom of the non-disclosure agreement.

Once Claudia snatches the paper from my hand, she says, “My client is Maverick.”

I choke.

Did she just say Maverick? As in the musician who had the biggest selling song my junior year of high school?

His music topped the charts for months. He was so popular with teens that Hollywood producers cast him in a movie with America’s sweetheart, Katie Lawrence. The two had zero chemistry together and they blamed the box office bomb on Maverick. Then his second album came out and it failed to gain traction. His downward spiral continued when his movie star fiancée dumped him after he made national headlines with three porn stars in a hot tub. The final blow was his DUI arrest. He completely disappeared after that.

That’s who she wants me to have sex with? A washed-up pop star? When he rose to fame the media portrayed him as an A-1 asshole.

She must see the hesitation in my eyes.

“He’s willing to pay you eight thousand dollars for the month.”

That’s a lot of money and I don’t have any other options at the moment.

How bad could it possibly be? My neighbor, Cali, made it sound like I’d be his mistress. Mistresses in movies are treated well. Candlelight dinners in secluded restaurants. Weekends in lovely hotels. And plenty of diamond jewelry.

Emory Fae enjoys leading a quiet, normal life. That is until two mysterious, and handsome soldiers show up at her apartment, and the life she knew is instantly whisked away. Memphis Carter and Brokk Foster come from the magical and war ridden world of Kiero, and upon Emory’s arrival she will discover she is the long-lost heir to the Royal Line and is thrown into the Black Dawn Rebellion with a dynamic role to ignite the rebels and reclaim her throne.

With both men being darkly woven in her past Emory uncovers hidden secrets, a power held long dormant, and will soon realize there are worse things than supernatural humans, love, loss, betrayal, and a Mad King.

Some things are better left in the shadows.

Black Dawn is another fabulous book by a fellow Cleans Reads author Mallory McCartney. I would give this book four stars because I loved the amount of detail and backstory of each character. The author did a great job creating the new world of Kiero with problems of their own.

There are three main characters in this book, Emory, Brokk, and Memphis who have all been friends growing up in a military-style academy. When the book starts out, Emory is living on Earth as a normal human but Memphis and Brokk kidnap her from the life she knows to throw her into Kiero and a kingdom she barely remembers. She goes through the process of recovering her memories while training with her powers she forgot about.

There’s a ton of action in this story with multiple point of views. This is the kind of book you want to concentrate on to get all the little clues, but if you like paranormal, fantasy, or young adult you will like this book!

Mallory McCartney currently lives in London, Ontario with her husband and their two dachshunds Link and Lola. Black Dawn is her debut novel, the first in a series. When she isn’t working on her next novel or reading, she can be found dog grooming, book shopping and hiking. Other favorite pastimes involve reorganizing perpetually overflowing bookshelves and seeking out new coffee and dessert shops.

You can purchase Black Dawn below:

Memphis cocked his eyebrow at her. “We are the only ones left strong enough to give Adair a run for his money. We fight now for all the innocent lives he took, for shattering your parents’ legacy. We fight for them, for their love, and for our freedom.”

Emory sighed, letting his words settle in her core. Stillness seemed to suffocate them in the cell as bomb after bomb was dropped above ground. In that moment an absurd idea struck her and she bit her lip, feeling exposed. It was worth a shot—after all, how much time did any of them have?

She glanced sideways at Memphis. He looked like a carving out of marble, flawless and jagged, capturing such a unique beauty she couldn’t tear her eyes away from it.

She noticed the corners of his lips turning up as he asked, “What?”

“You know what I do when I feel really stressed about something?” Emory had his full attention now. “I dance like no one is watching or ever will.”

Confusion clouded his face. “Dance?”

She truly beamed up at him now. “Oh Commander, seeing as we have a bit of time trapped in here with each other, do I ever have a proposition for you.”

Nearly sixteen years after relinquishing the rights to his unborn child, Noah Cooper is stunned to discover his daughter, Hope, wants to meet him. With the love and support of his family, Noah sets off from Elk Flats, Montana to Albany, New York, having no idea what changes are in store for him.

Cancer survivor and widow, Beth Peterson, is more than a little nervous to meet her daughter’s birth father. Their initial meeting goes well, but things decline in a hurry when Noah invites Hope to spend time at the ranch without speaking to Beth about it first.

Determined to meet her new family, a battle of wills ensues between Hope and her mother. While Hope longs for a connection, Beth fears losing her daughter to virtual strangers—strangers who live two thousand miles away.

Struggles and misunderstandings abound between Noah and Beth, despite their growing attraction for one another. Noah is ready to commit, while Beth can’t let go of the memory of her husband and the imperfections cancer has forced her to live with. Will hope, patience, and prayer be enough to pull this family together?

Lucie Ulrich is one of my favorite authors. I’m so glad to be interviewing her and learning more about her books.

Lucie, what inspired you to write Finding Hope? My readers. When I wrote The Rose Ring, I did so with the idea that it would be a stand-alone book. I had no thoughts of continuing the story of the Cooper brothers. When readers asked for more, I realized that, without meaning to, I left an opening for another book. While Micah and Noah Cooper are both important to The Rose Ring, Finding Hope is primarily Micah’s story.

That’s a great way to stay involved with your readers. How long have you been writing? I penned my first novel back in 2001. I had no clue what I was doing, but it got me motivated to learn all I could about the writing process. My first novel wasn’t published until 2012. In between, I wrote loads of skits and plays for my church and the private school where I worked as a drama teacher and eventual performing arts director.

Wow, that sounds great. So, tell me, are you an outliner or pantser? Panster all the way! I love to give my characters the lead. As crazy as it might sound, I keep track of my chapters as I write them, so that I can go back and reference days, dates, times, events, etc., so I sort of outline after the fact.

Sometimes our characters have a mind of their own. Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? I started writing later in life, so it was never my intention to make it my day job, which takes the pressure off. That said, I always have 4 or 5 projects in the works. Some have been around for a long time. When I find a project I’m passionate about, and I get stuck, I leave it alone for a while and work on something else for a while. I did that with Finding Hope on several occasions.

What are your hobbies aside from writing? I don’t have a lot of hobbies. My husband and I are both retired and enjoy taking road trips. He’s a fabulous photographer, so I sometimes join him. I’m nowhere as good as he is, but I come up with the occasional “keeper.” My husband and I hit a number of estate sales nearly every week, so I guess I could count that as a hobby.

Where is one place you want to visit that you haven’t been before? I’m currently finishing the first draft of a story that ends in Scotland. I spent one day in England many years ago, but haven’t seen any more of the British Isles. I’m not a fan of flying, but I think if the opportunity arose, I’d love to visit Scotland and Ireland.

Here’s a fun question! What if you were just given an Island. What would you name it? And who would live there with you? Interesting question. I wouldn’t never want to live on an island full time, but I would love a place where I could go to get away and write without distraction. I’d also love to share it with my daughter and her fellow dancer so they could be refreshed and get their creative juices flowing. I would name it Inspiration Isle.

I like that name for an island – Inspiration Island. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? I don’t know. I mean that in all honestly. When I traveled to Holland with my daughter back in 2001 (this is where I penned the beginning of my first novel), we were staying at a retreat center. My daughter danced while I wrote. Anyway, we were fed in a communal dining room. Each morning, my daughter and I would enjoy bread and chocolate spread along with something that looked like a sausage. I can’t remember the taste, but we both loved it. When we asked what it was, nobody would tell us. They said we would never eat it again if they did. To this day, I have no idea what it was. Lol The second weirdest thing would be cow’s tongue. It tasted really good, but when I found out what it was, I quit eating. Guess our friends from Holland were right.

I’m not sure if I could eat cow’s tongue, they are one of my favorite animals. If you could bring one of your characters to life, who would it be? Noah Cooper from Finding Hope. I’m not just saying that because he’s my most recent character. I love all my characters, but Noah is the kind of guy every girl would want to fall in love with. He’s sweet, considerate, loves his mother, and is a hard worker. He has a strong sense of family, despite a troubled past. He tends to speaks without thinking—which gets him into trouble—but would give anything for those he loves.

He sounds wonderful. I hope to meet someone that reminds me of him, oh wait, I have. My husband. LOL! Do you have any advice for other writers? As trite as it might sound, I’d tell them to never give up. I’d also suggest they join some sort of critique group—whether online or in their community. It’s important not only to get feedback, but to help them grow tough skin. Criticism is hard, but constructive criticism is a must.

Can you share an excerpt of your book with us? I’d be happy to.

The bell over the door jangled, as did Noah’s heart. He needn’t have worried. Other than some fine lines at the corners of her green eyes, and a few added pounds, Amanda was still as beautiful as the last time he’d seen her. He stood and greeted her, brushing her cheek with a quick kiss. “You haven’t changed.”

Amanda flushed and took a step back. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

“Are you kidding? I’m so excited about the news; I would have come to you.”

Her eyes widened. “No. That’s exactly what I didn’t want. I had to arrange a weekend with a friend in Missoula just to pull this off.”

Pull this off? Amanda’s enthusiasm clearly didn’t match his. He pointed to the booth he’d occupied. “Let’s sit.” He waited until she was seated before sliding in on the opposite side. “Want something to eat or drink?”

“I could use a cup of coffee.” Noah gestured to Julie, holding up two fingers.

She nodded her understanding and brought a carafe and two mugs. “Can I get either of you anything else?”

Amanda shook her head.

“We’re good, thanks.” Noah poured the coffee and pushed a cup her way. “What’s going on Amanda? You didn’t have to come in person to give me the contact information.”

Amanda kept her hands wrapped around her mug and her gaze focused on the table. “For the last fifteen years, there hasn’t been a day go by that I haven’t wondered what would have happened had I kept our baby.” She looked up, her eyes glassy. “I was so young and scared. After the birth and adoption, I did as my parents suggested and tried to forget.”

Pain squeezed his heart. “Kind of hard to forget when you get yearly updates.”

Amanda had the decency to blush. “Are you angry I never told you?”

He shrugged. “Anger won’t change the past. All I care about now is that we get to be part of our daughter’s future.”

“You do, Noah. Not me.” Tears slipped down her cheeks. “Don’t you think I would have done it years ago if I could?”

The pain in her voice matched the hurt in her eyes. He handed her a napkin. “I don’t understand.”

Amanda dabbed at her tears. “I never told my husband.”

Noah sat back. Pulling off this meeting made a little more sense now.

You can follow Lucie Ulrich on Social Media:

Lucie Ulrich is an award-winning author of inspirational fiction. Her books are filled with stories of faith, family and forgiveness. She was honored to receive a RONE Award for her second novel, “The Rose Ring.”

A former performing arts director, Lucie now enjoys going on photo shoots with her husband, and taking long (or short) road trips. She continues to find inspiration as she and her husband explore the four corners of the United States.

With the help of his friend and colleague, Dr. Nathan George, Josh Stone managed to save her, giving them both a new start and a second chance at love. But when Laney’s parents try to take their recovering daughter back to Missouri, Josh fears he’ll lose her…possibly forever.

A mysterious stalker and Laney’s family aren’t the only ones who want Josh and Laney apart…

Jillian Stone has struggled with her own demons, always leaning on her brother Josh for support. When she sees him doting on Laney, spending days on end by her hospital bed, Jillian grows increasingly jealous. She pictures a life where Laney is gone and she and Josh can be closer…​much closer.

A familiar shadow still threatens the light…

They thought Laney’s stalker was completely erased from their lives, arrested when he tried to kill her. But they find it wasn’t Laney’s ex-boyfriend who tormented her for weeks on end, even if he was the one who pulled the trigger. They are now on the lookout for the ​real stalker, who becomes braver with each passing day, always in shadows, never creeping into the light…

They fear he might be back to finish what he started…​sending Laney to an early grave.

Into The Light is a romantic suspense novel published on February 28, 2017 by Limitless Publishing. This is the second book in the Dark Series so you will want to make sure to read the first book before this one. That’s why I was a bit confused in the beginning. Into The Light starts off right after the first book, with the same set of characters and suspense. The author does a great job with the characters and medical terminology, as she should being a rouge nurse herself. Even if you aren’t a surgeon or medical employee, you can still follow what’s going on in the book. I loved the flow and suspense and will definitely go back and read the first book to get the whole story. I gave this book four stars for keeping my attention throughout the whole read.

JG Sumner is a Registered Nurse who went rogue. As good as she was at starting IV’s, she enjoys writing the down the stories in her head even more. Most of the time the characters won’t stop pestering her until she has them down on paper.

JG can often be found with a glass of red wine or prosecco in front of her computer. When she’s not creating, she enjoys the outdoors hiking, bike riding, snowboarding, and camping.

JG has a very dry sense of humor, and should never be taken too seriously. She loves to hear from her fans, and even those who aren’t and would love to hear your opinion on her books.

JG writes romantic suspense/thrillers including: A Shot in the Dark, Into the Light, The Surrender Trilogy including Surrender, Shattered, and Saved which will be available through Limitless Publishing soon.

Dr. Josh Stone stood helpless as Laney, seemingly in slow motion, fell to the floor. The thud of her body hitting the tiles shot goose bumps through his flesh. For a brief moment, he was paralyzed. His girlfriend, also a trauma nurse, had been shot by the patient they had been taking care of. The sight of the man sitting up and grabbing Officer Miller’s gun from his holster replayed in Josh’s brain. The man pointed it at Laney and shot her several times before anyone was able to subdue him. Now, Josh stood helplessly as she lay motionless on the floor. How could this happen in his trauma room? Why couldn’t he protect Laney? His knees seemed to buckle as he sank to Laney’s side, stethoscope dangling from his neck.

Laney’s curly blonde hair covered much of her face, but it was clear she was unconscious. Josh gently shook her, hoping for the slightest response. There was none. She had been shot in the chest.

Someone shrieked. One of the ER nurses, Dinah, looked shocked, both hands covering her mouth. She pointed to the floor. A puddle of blood oozed from under Laney. His nose wrinkled from the metallic aroma.

Josh fought the anger raging inside him. He wanted to make the son-of-a-bitch who shot Laney pay for hurting her.

For now, he had to let the cops handle it. Josh took a deep breath and struggled to regain his composure, but failed miserably.

“My God! Laney! How could this happen?” His face was hot. He swiped at it with his blood-soaked hands and realized he was crying.

“Dr. Stone! Dr. Stone!”

Josh looked up. Dinah’s lips were moving, but her words weren’t computing. A couple of techs and nurses eased Laney from his arms. Not only did he feel the emptiness, but it also plagued his heart and his soul.

Josh helped lift Laney onto a gurney. Dinah placed her hand on his shoulder. “You need to help her. She needs you now more than ever.”

Dinah put her cold hands on Josh’s flushed face. “Dr. Stone, I know you’re in shock, but you need to focus. You’re the only one who can save her.”

Josh turned his head, causing the frigid hands to fall from his face. He rubbed his swollen eyes and surveyed the room. The devastation was beyond words. Officer Miller had the man who shot Laney subdued in handcuffs. He lay on the table with his disheveled hair covering his face. Someone must have sedated him because he wasn’t moving. Equipment had been knocked over and supplies thrown everywhere. Josh’s heart rate sped up as he cast his eyes down at the pool of blood surrounding his feet.

“Where is she?”

“They’ve taken her to the OR to get her prepped. You need to get down there right now. Dr. Nessler is coming in to finish up with this guy.”

Josh darted out of the room with an urgency he never felt before. With each step he took, his pace quickened until he was in a full sprint to the OR.

When Josh arrived, the anesthesiologist already had Laney intubated and sedated and was inserting a central line. The nurses had just finished putting in peripheral IVs.

“Hang two units of O positive PRBC’s. Tell the blood bank to have more on standby. She will need them.”

“Are you sure you want O positive and not O negative?” questioned Sandra, the OR nurse.

“Yes! Laney is O positive!” Josh barked.

He rushed to Laney. He took a step back seeing her naked body lying lifeless on the table. Blood still seeped from the bullet wounds. He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and promptly got to work.

“Has anyone called the cardiothoracic surgeon?”

“Yes, he’s been called,” Sandra stated.

“Who’s on call today?” Josh mentally crossed his fingers it was his friend Nathan.

“It’s Dr. George. He should be here any minute.”

Josh sighed. “Thank God. Have chest x-rays been performed?”

“Yes, we also did a CT of her abdomen. There were two bullets that landed there. One hit the large intestine. The other looks as though it may have grazed the liver. There doesn’t appear to be any bleeding, so it may not have been hit. A bullet also went through the right lower lobe of her lung. The worst of the injuries is her heart. She took a direct hit to her left ventricle. She’s losing a lot of blood. I have everything set up when you’re ready to go, Dr. Stone.”

“Let’s get her chest cracked. We can’t waste a moment. Dr. George will start to work as soon as he gets here.”

One of the techs handed Josh a scalpel. He made an incision straight down the center of Laney’s chest to her abdomen. They would need the entire area to work. Once the incision was made, the tech handed Josh the saw. He carefully cut down the middle of the sternum. The sound of metal against bone was raw like Josh’s emotions. It was surreal to know it was Laney.

Josh pulled apart Laney’s sternum and held it open with a sternal retractor.

“Oh, Jesus.”

“Dr. Stone, what is it?” the nurse asked.

“The bullet went through her ventricle.” Oh my God, she’s not going to make it. Josh stared at Laney’s heart losing blood at an alarming rate. If something wasn’t done fast, she would bleed out.

Good morning and today we have Author D.F. Bailey with us talking about his set of psychological books!

Four thrillers that go straight to your heart. So dark. Yet so full of light.

First Four is a boxset of D. F. Bailey’s first four psychological thrillers. The collection includes his first novel — a W. H. Smith First Novel Award finalist — Fire Eyes, plus Healing The Dead, The Good Lie, and Exit From America. BONUS: his short story, “Suitcase,” the perfect epilogue to Healing the Dead.

First Four is a collection of my first four thrillers—including the W. H. Smith First Novel Award finalist—Fire Eyes. Over the last three years I’ve written four books in my new crime series which begins with Bone Maker. Now I realize that the crime series is going to absorb my attention for many more years. So I wanted to package the earlier books into one collection for readers who might enjoy those books in a boxset format.

That sounds like an interesting collection! How long have you been writing?

I started to write at an early age (before my teens). Mostly poetry. When I was twenty-five I tried to write a novel (now tucked safely away in the bottom drawer of my desk). My first novel, Fire Eyes, came out when I was thirty-six.

Are you an outliner or pantser?

A bit of both. I like the first and last scenes of a new novel to “appear” in my imagination before I begin to write the first draft. Then when I’m in the groove, I tend to map out the direction in chunks of four or five chapters. I always like to reserve plenty of room for the plot and characters to find their own direction, which makes me more of a pantser, I guess. However, outlines are important to me.

I agree, outlines really help shape your books. I tend to be both though, only outlining key points to my book. Then sometimes I will get stuck because I haven’t planned it out enough. Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?

I experienced a ten-year block between my second and third novels. I actually thought I was finished as a writer. Done. Then an new idea occurred to me and I decided to follow my intuition and instincts from the first word to the last (so maybe I am a true pantser). The result was The Good Lie, a novel I am very proud of.

What are your hobbies aside from writing?

I now write almost every day. It’s an obsession. However, I garden and hit the gym a few times a week. I also love music concerts and the theater. Dining with friends is always enjoyable. My family also is extremely important to me. I’d be a different person without them.

Where is one place you want to visit that you haven’t been before?

Rome, Venice, Florence. From Italy I’d like to cross the Adriatic Sea and explore Croatia.

You were just given an Island. What would you name it? And who would live there with you?

The island is called Family Island. The inhabitants would include all my relatives going back ten generations. They would have a lot of stories to share, don’t you think?

Shamrock Pancakes from The Huffing Post

I would love to get to know some of my relatives before I was born. I even found out there’s an author in my family! So let’s have fun… What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten.

Green pancakes. My cousin made them for me when I was about 10. Delicious. His mother just about killed him.

If you could bring one of your characters to life, who would it be?

Hmmm. Some of my characters are pretty darned scary. Others are messed up but harmless. However, Teejay Flood, the young girl In Exit From America, has a remarkable personal toughness mixed with the heart of a young saint, and an emotional IQ that is through the roof. I’ve already learned a lot from her. Seeing her in reality every day would likely make me a better person in every way.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

I taught creative writing for decades at the local university. My advice is to set aside at least an hour a day to write on your own. It’s called meeting the muse. Writing novels is a long and lonely game. You need to enjoy the act of writing, so be sure to write what *you* want to write.

That’s great advise! Can you share an excerpt of your book with us?

Of course. Here are three opening paragraphs from my first novel, Fire Eyes. As you can see, it begins with a bang!

The bomb went off a little after one in the morning. It was a beautiful thing. There was blues and greens and thick yellows that blended in with the smoke to make it all look like mustard gas in some World War I movie. And the sound of it was much louder than I thought. I guess it could have been the noise alone that brought the cops. But the look of it — the colors — they were much more than I hoped for. Damn it, they were beautiful.

But what happened to Renee, that’s something else. It was the last thing I expected. She tried to make everything so casual, carrying the bomb the way she did under her arm. First she spins around and smiles like there’s no care to the world and moves up the sidewalk in her dream of ballet. She points her toe to the ground once, twice — then, as she turns on one foot, the bomb explodes and breaks the night into a thousand smoking greens and yellows and reds, with a huge blast like a rocket burst echoing off the walls of the mountains. And then it’s all over before you can really see it and in the end she’s worse than dead because the bomb blew everything apart. There’s a crater gutted into the sidewalk and suddenly all the lights in the First City Electric building black out. A minute later there’s a flicker of light in the windows and then the power surges back to life. Only the front door has any sign of damage, two windows shattered from their steel frames. And along the sidewalk, halfway up from the road, her handkerchief rests where it fell. Except for that, there’s nothing left at all. Not even the baby.

Yes, she’s the one that didn’t come back. I remember her saying it would be like a war, and in a war there’s always some that don’t come home. I always thought she was talking about me. Specially when I put the bomb together in the lab.

•••

D.F. Bailey is a W.H. Smith First Novel Award and a Whistler Independent Book Award finalist.

In 2015 D.F. Bailey published The Finch Trilogy — Bone Maker, Stone Eater, and Lone Hunter — three novels narrated from the point-of-view of a crime reporter in San Francisco. He is now extending the trilogy in a series of stand-alone books.

His first novel, Fire Eyes, was optioned for film. His second novel, Healing the Dead, was translated into German as Todliche Ahnungen. The Good Lie, another psychological thriller, was recorded as an audio book. A fourth novel, Exit from America, made its debut as an e-book in 2013.

Following his birth in Montreal, D.F. Bailey’s family moved around North America from rural Ontario to New York City to McComb, Mississippi to Cape May, New Jersey. He finally “landed on his feet” on Vancouver Island — where he lives next to the Salish Sea in the city of Victoria.

For twenty-two years D.F. Bailey worked at the University of Victoria where he taught creative writing and journalism and coordinated the Professional Writing Cooperative Education Program — which he co-founded. From time to time he also freelanced as a business writer and journalist. In the fall of 2010 he left the university so that he could turn “his pre-occupation with writing into a full-blown obsession.”

We humans have to be stronger than we ever imagine, love ourselves in the process, and dig in when the ground seems to sink. We not only relish adventures, we create them. That’s the basis of Saylor’s story in my young adult science fiction trilogy, Insurrection. Volume Two of the trilogy, entitled Incomplete, is now available on iTunes, Amazon Kindle, and Barnes & Noble Nook!

Book Blurb:

Saylor started out on one adventure and ended up on another. After finding herself on a Caribbean island filled with strange noises, dazzling beaches, and a secret military base, Saylor must clutch the missing pieces of her fate. While harnessing her ability to communicate with deadly weapons of mass destruction, attending the annual gala, and fighting her growing feelings for the hunky Australian soldier, Saylor’s instincts become increasingly distressed. Tempted by greed and independence, she must determine what she stands for and on whose side she belongs. Power within in her. War without.

They wanted a warrior. They got one.

Excerpt:

Silent, smooth, and undefined, he slipped beside me, the two of us watching the horizon and the navy sky, dotted with starlight and swaying under the breeze. In the same way that chocolate nestles down slowly and sweetly on the taste buds, or like a crisp spring morning drifts dew over the dawn, he slid his right arm around me, pulling me close. Satin brushed against cotton and hope dashed against the rough breakwater of changing tides.

“Against my own rules, the other day I allowed in the thought about what losing you would feel like,” Tucker said. “Those monsters hovering over you were a greater risk than the Commander’s orders. Holding you in my arms after you fell, motionless,” he shook his head. “That was the flip of the switch.”

Several clouds meandered overhead, blocking out starlight and passing by, finally clearing out again, and I could once again accept oxygen into my lungs. Letting a smile tease my lips, a rosy glow burned across my cheeks.

“I’m terribly challenged in the area of accepting someone loving me,” I admitted. “I have buckets of love. But they’ve been boxed up, packed away, and I don’t know how to carry them.”

“Well, that’s convenient,” he answered, somehow moving closer, arms circling, tightening around my waist, until we faced each other. “I have pretty strong arms. I’d be pleased to help you carry them.”

Somewhere, innocent lips blew the wispy seeds from a dandelion bud, somewhere passionate lips sputtered rhetoric and jargon, and somewhere else, lips dripped with lies and temptation. But his smoldered.

****

Deep in the heart of Texas, Kadee Carder resides with her husband and daughters. Carder earned a BA in Public Relations at Howard Payne University and an MFA in Creative Writing from National University. She teaches English courses on the university level and plans her schedule around coffee availability. When she’s not dancing around the living room with her daughters, she helps at church activities, creates encouraging blogs, and orders pizza like a boss.

“I loved this story. The characters are so witty, well developed and real. The growth Saylor goes through is touching and had me rooting for her every step of the way. The technology introduced is intriguing and frightening. Like what would happen if your favorite pastime started fighting back and you were thrown into the deadliest game of baseball you could ever imagine? In the midst of the awesome kick butt-ness are the girl giggles of a first crush that will have you swooning and wanting more.

An amazing first novel in a series that I can already tell will become one of my favorite series.

If you are looking for a unique science fiction book you need to pick this book up! You will be memorized by the story, the wonder of the strange island, the romance developing, and the unwavering friendship.”
~ Amy

***

“I loved this book. As a mom, I’m always looking for good adventure stories for my 15-year old daughter to read, and Insurrection takes the cake. The daring heroine is unafraid of adventure but also not ashamed of romance. (I have to say, though, that it was refreshing to have the focus be more on the adventure and less on the romance!)
The only negative about this book is that only the first one is available! I can’t wait for the second and third books.”
~ Laura

My good friend tagged me on her YouTube channel for this writer tag. I will be doing mine on my blog since I’m a bit camera shy.

Writer Tag!1. What do you eat or drink while writing? I like to stick with water while I’m writing though every now and then I prefer some mint tea or a Coke. As for food, I’m not picky. Twizzlers are good to chew on and don’t get my fingers dirty when grabbing for another one between paragraphs. 2. What do you listen to while writing? I don’t like listening to music when I write at home, because it distracts me, but if for some reason I’m out and about and have some time in the car to type a few things on my tablet, then music is a must. I’m strange, I know.3. What is your biggest distraction while you’re writing? My biggest distraction is the stinkin’ internet. Why did someone have to invent the internet? If I an not in a good flow of writing, I tend to be surfing. And not the waves at the beach.4. What is the worst thing that has happened to you while writing? I’m not sure I’ve had anything bad happen when I’m writing. So far my writing life is relatively calm. That’s not to say something absurd won’t happen in the future though!5. What is the best thing that has ever happened to you while writing? Getting a great idea for my story or another one, or finding the perfect title. Nothing too spectacular so far. I must be the only boring writer in the world, nothing good or bad happens to me.6. Who do you communicate with while you’re writing? Usually Alyssa, my friend in Spain. We have similar taste in books and love fangirling over something we’ve read or written. I share almost all my stories with her and she does the same, I think… and we have awesome brainstorming sessions once a week or so to knock over any walls our writing has built. We probably talk every day.

Then there’s my sister, Elena, who also writes and shares her stories with me. Which they are amazing. I only really share my fantasy stories with her because that’s what she’s interested in and I help her any way I can. 7. What is your secret to success and your biggest writing flaw? My secret to success is to never give up and don’t procrastinate. I’m a big procrastinator but when I want to accomplish something and I have a goal, I usually follow through with it.

My biggest flaw is that I skip around with stories too much. If I can focus on writing just one story or series and getting it edited then work on the next, I might be better off, but I can’t. I like to work on more than one story at a time.

8. What is your inspiration? What makes you productive? Inspiration for me comes from many things. It may be a song I heard on the radio, or the person living down the hall. I may have seen someone walk down the street and created a whole life for them in my head or recreated a life from someone I already know. Alyssa or Elena and I will get talking and will come up with a whole story by the end of our conversation. It all depends.

As for what makes me productive; it’s about wanting to get those stories out of my head and onto paper or the computer. I want to finish these projects so readers can enjoy them. If I find an author I like, I want to be able to read more of their books, so for those that have read Bleeding Hearts and loved it, don’t worry, I’m writing more books for you!9. What is one thing that you do or that other writers do that is super annoying? I don’t like the word ‘decide’ or any variation of it. I try my darnest not to use that word in any of my books and really can’t stand it when other writers use it. I hardly ever use it when I’m talking either. I don’t know why I don’t like the word, I just don’t. LOL10. Are you willing to share something you’ve written? Yes, always! Here is an excerpt from a new fantasy book I’m writing called Under The Grave.

In a whisper of a breath, I pull the trigger.

The bullet hits my target.

Before anyone can react, I fire another bullet into Sylvia. The governor falls off her stool, blank eyes staring down her followers. Sylvia tumbles down beside her, like dominoes stacking upon another.

“Get out!” Hart urges. My adrenaline propels my next moves. I pack up my rifle and crawl backwards out of the air vent, not caring if I make noise. A stampede of frightened partiers and voters flood the area.

People scream. Fear is a tangible thing that slithers through the halls and grips each body, including mine.

Sentries run into the building. Tears stream down every cheek. And somehow I feel better. I smile, realizing no one will know her plans. The Revolutionaries are safe for another day.

The halls of the conference building start to fill wall to wall with frantics and my escape plan needs to be changed. Even though I’ve chosen a desolate hallway to follow through with my orders, it’s now slammed with witnesses. Drunken people want somewhere to hide from the gunner, from me.

Like this:

OPERATION PROM DATE (TACTICS IN DATING #1) BY CINDI MADSEN

Kissing practice has never been more fun.

Publication Date: March 13, 2017 Publisher: Entangled Teen Crush

Kate ships tons of fictional couples, but IRL her OTP is her and Mick, the hot quarterback she’s crushed on since, like, forever. With only one semester left of senior year, it’s now or never if she wants to land him in time for prom. Since she’s flirtationally challenged, she enlists Cooper Callihan, the guy who turned popular seemingly overnight but who used to be a good friend.

Cooper lives and breathes rowing, but his partner just broke his wrist. When he remembers Kate’s good with a set of oars, he strikes a deal: help him train, and he’ll make sure her crush notices her. Only he didn’t know how addicting spending time with her would be. Or how the more successful the Operation is, the more jealousy he experiences.

The mission has been set. The troops have their marching orders. But what if the target is the wrong guy all along?

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains stargazing, accidental swimming, and poker swindling. This kissing practice will melt your ereader…and give you a new couple to ship.

Review:

This book was surprisingly funny and romantic! Kate sets out to snag the popular Mick guy by prom, but along the way ends up falling for someone else. The story trope is used quite a bit but every time I read a book like this I love it. And this book did not disappoint. The author has a way with words and sarcasm, something I only dream of having.

There’s a plethora of bickering, laughing, and romance to keep you busy. The characters were well thought out and complex. They all had decent backgrounds that you miss out of knowing in books. I liked that she gave every character a purpose. I even liked Kate’s mom in this story, she was just as funny as all the other characters.

I can’t say how much I loved this book without gushing too much so I will leave it like this: I will definitely read more from this author! Can’t wait to see what else she writes.

Cindi Madsen is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.

Read below for some fun, snarky excerpts!

“An original vampire. From the show The Originals? Technically he was on The Vampire Diaries first, but they did a spin off, and anyway…” She scooped up the creature as she sat on her bed. “Klaus kills for fun—the vampire. This Klaus is too lazy to do much of anything.”

I sat next to her on the bed, still taking in her collection of figurines.

“That’s my Funko Pop collection. I paired them up the way they should be on the shows.” She gestured at one in a green hood and the blonde figure next to him with the glasses. I realized it was from Arrow.

“I ship Olicity the hardest.”

“‘Ship’ them?”

“I want them in a relationship. Like I’d put them in a ship together so they’d be forced to see they’re perfect for each other, bribe the writers to get them together, ship them. Partnership, friendship, please-God-put-them-in-a-relationship-already ship them.”

“Oh-kay.”

“It’s a common phrase. Oliver and Felicity are totally my OTP, which means one true pairing, if you haven’t somehow heard of that, either. I also ship Alexa and Clarke on The 100 a crazy amount, and I was pretty mad at the writers for a while, but something happened and…well, I won’t spoil it, but I might’ve teared up. Then of course there’s Stydia and Captain Swan”—she pointed at a blond figure wearing a red jacket and a goateed dude with a hook for a hand—“I used to be all about Damon and Elena, but there toward the end, I shipped her and a coffin. Which sounds mean, I know, but vampires don’t technically die, so a bit nicer?”

“I’m still judging you too much for saying ‘ship them the hardest’ to judge you for the vampire stuff.”

She smacked my arm and I laughed. Honestly, I was also trying to keep up with all the words she’d spouted, trying to make sense of them. We’d spent the past few afternoons on the boat, and the more time I spent with her, the more amused I was by her, even though I only understood about half of what she said.

Klaus crawled higher on her lap and she rubbed his chin. I never knew a lizard could smile, but damned if the thing didn’t grin. Kate caught my eye. “Just call me Khaleesi, mother of dragons. Or dragon, as it were. Please tell me you at least get that reference.”

“Game of Thrones. I’ve only read the first book, though. Okay, half of the first book, but I meant to pick it back up. But then I sort of just watched the show instead.”

She glanced around like someone might be listening and then leaned in. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve never read the books.”

I leaned a few inches closer, until I could see the different shades of green in her eyes. “Your secret is safe with me.”

“You’re starting to have a lot of my secrets, so I certainly hope so.”

Unexpected warmth swirled through my chest. I’d never thought I would want to be a secret keeper, but there was something about having Kate’s trust that made me proud to be one.

Excerpt 2!

The boat bumped the shore before I realized how close we were. I stood, planning on jumping onto the dirt and grass embankment so I could help pull the boat to shore. I nearly fell in the water but managed to land on a muddy spot instead, my shoes making a sloppy squishing sound.

When I grabbed the boat and tugged, it was heavier than I expected. My foot slipped, unable to get any traction in the slimy sludge, and I fell backward, all my momentum now working against me. As squishy as the mud was between my fingers, it sure was hard on the butt.

Cooper’s laughter came out sputtered at first, like he’d made an attempt to stop it, but then he laughed full out, the boat rocking as he folded over. I flicked mud at him, but it barely hit his legs, which was hardly satisfying.

Once he semi-recovered from his laughing fit, he took a large step and jumped onto the dry part of the shore. Show off. He tugged the boat up next to him, then extended a hand to me.

“I like how you took care of the boat first,” I grumbled as he grabbed my clean hand.

“Well, it doesn’t have feet. It’s hardly fair to expect it to climb onto the shore.” His implication was clear—he expected me to have that ability. He yanked me up, and I nearly bumped into him. My hands automatically went to his waist.

I must just be lightheaded from standing up so fast—that was it. I shook off the momentary dizziness, and glanced down. My muddy hand left a big smear of brown across his T-shirt and the top of his jeans. “Oh shoot, I got your clothes messy.”

He shrugged and his voice came out low. “I don’t mind getting dirty.”

My gaze shot to his. Apparently I was the one with muddy hands and dirty thoughts, but then dawning crossed his features.

“You thought I was giving you some line, didn’t you?”

I shook my head. “No. Of course not.”

“Mmm-hm. Guess you’re not quite as serious as I thought.” He tipped his head toward his truck. “C’mon. Let’s get you home before the rest of your thoughts drift into the gutter and you offend my delicate sensibilities.”

I opened my mouth to tell him he was the one who put them there, but luckily I stopped myself just in time. No way that wouldn’t come out sounding inappropriate, and then he’d get the wrong idea and think I was crushing on him or something and run in the other direction.

That’d leave me with two social disasters on my hands, because I’d never pull off my goal to land Mick without Cooper by my side.

Emme is a sophomore in high school who starts dating, Brendon Agretti, the popular senior who happens to be a senator’s son and well-known for his good looks. Emme feels out of her comfort zone in Brendon’s world and it doesn’t help that his picture perfect ex, Lauren seems determined to get back into his life along with every other girl who wants to be the future Mrs. Agretti. Emme is already conflicted due to the fact her last boyfriend cheated on her and her whole world is off kilter with her family issues. Life suddenly seems easier keeping Brendon away and relying on her crystals and horoscopes to guide her. Emme soon starts to realize she needs to focus less on the stars and more on her senses. Can Emme get over her insecurities and make her relationship work? Life sure is complicated when you’re dating the it guy.

Besides mining her teen years and humiliating moments for her novels, Krysten is a also a book addict who has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and writes young adult, middle grade, new adult, and adult fiction as well as humor essays. She is originally from Michigan and has lived in Portugal, South Dakota, and currently resides in southwestern Ohio where you can find her reading and writing when she’s not catching up on her favorite shows (she’s addicted to American Dad to the point where she quotes episodes on a daily basis and also loves Girl Meets World). She’s also a third generation Detroit Lions fan.

Krysten writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends…Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, and Competing with the Star (The Star Series: Book 2). Her debut novel, True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book. Krysten’s work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times and on Living Dayton.

“Hager’s authentic characters will resonate with readers of all ages as they are immersed in the story – complete with teen drama and angst, but also the relationships which make it all worthwhile.” — Leslie L. McKee, book reviewer, Edits and Reviews by Leslie

What people are saying about Krysten’s work:

From Teenage Book Recommendations in the UK: “This is a fantastically relatable and real book which I feel captures all of the insecurities and troubles which haunt the modern teenage girl. It is about a young model who has to go through tough times when she is torn between a life as a model and managing her friendships. You learn which friends she can most trust and which will create the drama typical of teenage life. Follow the life of Landry and try to see if you can find out which are her true friends before their true colours are revealed. This book is all about relationships, hopes and truth. I loved this book!”

From Books & Authors Spot: “This book is such an inspiration for those who just care about their looks and are tensed about them. This thing is looks aren’t everything. This book is related to every teen’s problem. Hager has written a very inspiring novel.”

“Krysten captures the teenage girl today. The struggles are real, the issues are something children have been dealing with since before I was a teen, and oddly-Krysten captures the readers! I was prepared for another “Mean Girls” story. This is NOT that. This is the real story of teenage girls! You watch Landry flower into a young woman who finds out trust is an invaluable item to find, and friendships are hard to seek genuine realism in. You will learn about relationships with not just friends, but peers, boys, and others. The details put into the book will draw you, and make the story so much more realistic. Krysten expresses emotions beautifully through her writing, and the story flows flawlessly…” By Candice J. Conway Simpson

“True Colors, is just a dazzling story of how middle school kids show their true colors of jealousy, drama, loss and gains of friendship. However, the way Krysten wrote her story; she wrote it with passion, creativity and honesty that this story line could be placed in anyone’s life at any age.” Review by Double Decker Books

“Krysten Lindsay Hager understands what it means to be a teen today, and she writes with an authentic voice. Landry, the main character, is funny, lively, and very real. Readers will relate to her struggles with friends and family, self-esteem and self-discovery, boys and school and life in general. It’s fun to read about Landry’s blossoming modeling career and the changes it brings.” Review by Author Diana Jenkins

Blonde student worried about exams

Read below for an excerpt:

He put the magazine between us, and when I moved forward to see it, he put his arm across the back of my chair. Now lots of guys did put their arms on chair backs, even Kirk did that with Rory, and he definitely wasn’t interested in her, but I couldn’t help but hope it meant something. I got this shivery feeling, and he asked if I was cold. I shook my head. I always got a feeling before something major was about to happen, and it has nothing to do with being cold, but I didn’t know why I got the feeling. Grandma used to do the same thing and always said, “Somebody just walked across my grave.” Somehow I didn’t think Brendon would understand if I told him I needed to move my future burial plot to a less high-traffic area.

“Are we still on for the art fair?” he asked.

I had only been circling it with hearts on my calendar since he asked.

“Sure, I think I’m still free,” I said.

We finished up our work, and he walked me out to meet Kylie.

“Okay, I’ll pick you up at three tomorrow,” he said, walking off.

“Can I ask a stupid question?” Kylie asked as soon as Brendon was out of earshot. “What’s he like? Because he’s so well-known, and I can’t imagine what it’d be like to grow up with your whole life under a microscope. I mean, my mom remembers his first birthday party pictures being shown on the news. And he’s hot, but he’s not like I-know-I’m-a-hottie hot, but more like a confident, ‘Yes, I am hot. Any questions?’ I mean, he has to have noticed there aren’t any guys who look like him walking around.”

“I should tell him what you said.”

“Don’t you dare,” Kylie said.

“I get what you mean—he’s grown up with everybody knowing his dad and watching him, but he’s pretty down to earth.”

“So what’s up with you two? You guys didn’t do any work last Saturday, and now you’re going to an art fair.”

“I dunno. He just asked me to go with him.”

“Asked you to go with him as his study buddy or asked you to go with him because he’s desperately in love with you?” she asked.

I said we were just friends, but she wouldn’t let it go.

“Okay, duh, obviously I like him, but let’s be honest. He’s out of my league. He’s out of most people’s league. It’s weird because normally if I like a guy then one of two things happens—either he likes me and asks for my number…or I find out he’s not into me and I cry in my pillow and listen to man-hating music for at least three days,” I said. “But this time’s different because he’s, I dunno, not just ‘some guy.’ I mean, I’m not putting up a shrine to him in my room, and I haven’t rooted though his garbage can, but I have as much chance of going out with him as Kirk does of getting an ‘A’ in this class.”

“You listen to man-hating music?” she asked, and I narrowed my eyes at her. “Whatever. Anyway, Em, he’s asked you out once already, and you are seeing him tomorrow. Plus, he’s always staring at you.”

I said he was probably just bored in class today, but she wouldn’t let it go.

“I’m not just talking about today. When we watched the movie on Monday, he watched you instead, and whenever I see you guys, he acts like there’s no one else in the room,” she said.

I couldn’t hold back the big, stupid smile spreading across my face. “He does? For real?”

She nodded. “You know, it’s weird. Here you were all upset you didn’t have a partner at the beginning of the semester, and then you ended up with like, Mr. Perfection, as your partner.”

Like this:

Have you heard of The Genesis Girl? Well, you should have. It’s the first book in the Blank Slate series and it’s amazing. I had the chance to read the sequel, given to me by the author herself, and I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved it.

Here’s a recap of The Genesis Girl:

Eighteen-year-old Blanca has lived a sheltered life. Her entire childhood has been spent at Tabula Rasa School where she’s been protected from the Internet. Blanca has never been online and doesn’t even know how to text. Her lack of a virtual footprint has made her extremely valuable and upon graduation Blanca, and those like her, are sold to the highest bidders. Blanca is purchased by Cal McNeal, who uses her to achieve personal gain. But the McNeal’s are soon horrified by just how obedient and non-defiant Blanca is. All those mind-numbing years locked away from society have made her mind almost impenetrable. By the time Blanca is ready to think for herself, she is trapped. Her only chance of escape is to go online.

I gave this book a five star review and knew after I finished it, that I had to read the second book!

Now that I have finished Damaged Goods, I can easily say it was another FIVE STAR review. I couldn’t put the book down! The author does a great job with continuing the story in a way that catches the reader. She also brings subtle details from the previous book into the second one so the reader doesn’t forget. She leaves out certain information that might be revealed later in the series. I really like the rocky relationship between Blanca and Seth. It seems so real. The whole book Blanca struggles with the option of being adopted by Cal McNeal and Seth’s denial about the whole thing only shows how much he loves her. I’m so excited to read the third book, if there is one, which I want there to be!

Here’s the blurb for Damaged Goods and where you can find the book!

Blanca has everything she ever wanted, a hot boyfriend named Seth and the loving support of her foster father, Cal. She’s finally escaped the abusive control of her birth father, Barbelo Nemo, and her tortured childhood at Tabula Rasa School.

But the scars of Blanca’s Vestal upbringing run deep, especially when the FBI start asking questions. Blanca feels abandoned by Seth who is hunting for Lilith, Blanca’s only blood relative. The Defectos, a support group of Vestal-Rejects, offer Blanca comfort instead.

While the Vestal order crumbles, Chinese rivals called the Guardians rise to power and wrest control of important Tabula Rasa contacts. Now Blanca’s life is in peril once more, and this time, Blanca struggles to recognize friend from foe.

Jennifer Bardsley is the author of GENESIS GIRL and a newspaper columnist for The Everett Daily Herald. She lives in Edmonds, Washington with her husband and two children. You can find Jennifer online at http://JenniferBardsley.net, or http://TeachingMyBabytoRead.com. Follow Jennifer on Twitter @JennBardsley or on Facebook as TheYAGal.